Patents by Inventor Michael Strnad

Michael Strnad has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11889782
    Abstract: A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Timothy Kater, Matthew Morgan, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 11839171
    Abstract: A row unit downforce system including: a downforce actuator in operational communication with the row unit and constructed and arranged to apply supplemental downforce to the row unit and opening disks; a monitoring system comprising at least one furrow depth sensor constructed and arranged to generate furrow depth values; and a control system module, wherein the control system module is constructed and arranged to generate actuator command signals in response to the furrow depth values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Jeremy Hodel, Dale Koch, Todd Swanson, Dillon Sloneker
  • Publication number: 20230371419
    Abstract: A processing system having: a central processing unit (“CPU”) to execute instructions for processing agricultural data; and a communication unit to transmit and receive agricultural data, the CPU is configured to execute instructions to obtain soil temperature from a soil apparatus having at least one sensor to sense soil temperature, to obtain air temperature, to determine a temperature offset based on the soil temperature and the air temperature, to obtain a predicted air temperature, and to determine predicted soil temperature for a future time period based on the temperature offset and the predicted air temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Matthew Morgan, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 11812682
    Abstract: An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to a chassis of the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a downforce system configured to apply a downforce to the row unit to adjust a contact force between the row unit and the soil; a soil condition sensor configured to detect a condition of the soil and/or an operational sensor configured to detect operation of the agricultural implement system; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system; and a controller coupled to the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control the downforce system and the closing system in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Jeremy Hodel, Dale Koch, Todd Swanson, Dillon Sloneker
  • Publication number: 20230329217
    Abstract: An implement comprising a boom having at least one section, a boom height controller, an actuator in communication with the boom height controller and disposed to adjust a position of the boom, a boom nudge controller in communication with the boom height controller, at least one boom height sensor for measuring a height of the boom in communication with the boom nudge controller, at least one camera in communication with the boom nudge controller. The boom nudge controller compares height measurements from the at least one boom height sensor and the at least one camera and communicates with the boom height controller to adjust the position of the boom to avoid contacting a crop or ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Tristan Herrmann, Michael Strnad, Samuel Rustan
  • Patent number: 11785876
    Abstract: An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a soil condition sensor; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system, the closing system comprises: a first disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; a second disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; and a controller configured to couple to the soil condition sensor and control a position or orientation of the first disk or the second disk in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Jeremy Hodel, Dale Koch, Todd Swanson, Dillon Sloneker
  • Publication number: 20230320256
    Abstract: A liquid application apparatus for applying liquid to soil during a planting operation, having: a ground-engaging component mounted to a planter row unit, the planter row unit opening a planting trench, the planter row unit depositing seeds in the planting trench, the ground-engaging component disposed at least partially within said planting trench as the planter row unit traverses the field; a first liquid injection conduit mounted to said ground-engaging component and disposed to inject liquid into a first sidewall of said planting trench, and wherein said ground-engaging component is mounted in a housing via at least one of a height adjustment arm that is pivotably mounted in the housing to allow for height adjustment of said ground-engaging component, and a spring that is pivotably mounted in the housing to allow for vertical deflection of said ground-engaging component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Jason Stoller, Justin Koch, Brian McMahon, Derek Sauder, Ian Radtke, Michael Strnad, Dale Koch, Matthew Morgan, Tracy Leman, Paul Wildermuth
  • Publication number: 20230263088
    Abstract: A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Dale Koch, Jason Stoller, Todd Swanson, Michael Strnad, Matthew Morgan, Ian Radtke, Timothy Kater, Jeremy Hodel
  • Publication number: 20230240172
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a seed firmer having a resilient portion and a firming portion that are molded together into a unitary part with each portion being a different material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Brian MCMAHON, Todd SWANSON, Michael STRNAD
  • Publication number: 20230240173
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a seed firmer having a resilient portion and a firming portion that are molded together into a unitary part with each portion being a different material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Brian MCMAHON, Todd SWANSON, Michael STRNAD
  • Publication number: 20230229142
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic system comprises a display device to display data and processing logic coupled to the display device. The processing logic is configured to determine a duty cycle of at least one sensor for sensing flow of a product or particle through a product or particle line of an agricultural implement and to determine an amount of product or particles flowing through a line of the agricultural implement based on the duty cycle of the at least one sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: William Frank, Chad E. Plattner, Michael Strnad, Tanner Gray
  • Publication number: 20230189691
    Abstract: A mobile agricultural machine includes a row unit having a furrow opener mounted to the row unit and configured to engage a surface of ground over which the mobile agricultural machine travels to open a furrow in the ground. A furrow closer is mounted to the row unit behind the furrow opener and configured to engage the surface of the ground to close the furrow. A furrow sensor system is mounted to the row unit and configured to sense characteristics relative to the furrow opened by the furrow opener and generate a sensor signal indicative of the characteristics. The mobile agricultural machine can further include a control system configured to determine a furrow quality metric corresponding to the furrow sensed by the furrow sensor system based on the sensor signal and generate an action signal to control an action of the mobile agricultural machine based on the furrow quality metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Nicholas Minarich
  • Patent number: 11678600
    Abstract: A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Dale Koch, Jason Stoller, Todd Swanson, Michael Strnad, Matthew Morgan, Ian Radtke, Timothy Kater, Jeremy Hodel
  • Publication number: 20230165184
    Abstract: A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Timothy Kater
  • Patent number: 11653591
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a seed firmer having a resilient portion and a firming portion that are molded together into a unitary part with each portion being a different material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Brian McMahon, Todd Swanson, Michael Strnad
  • Publication number: 20230112376
    Abstract: An agricultural implement having a camera facing in a forward direction of travel on the agricultural implement. A mirror is disposed in a portion of a forward field of view of the camera such that the camera captures an image that includes a forward field of view and a rearward view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Jason J. Stoller, Paul Wildermuth
  • Patent number: 11612098
    Abstract: A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Matthew Morgan, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 11615525
    Abstract: A soil imaging system having a work layer sensor disposed on an agricultural implement to generate an electromagnetic field through a soil area of interest as the agricultural implement traverses a field. A monitor in communication with the work layer sensor is adapted to generate a work layer image of the soil layer of interest based on the generated electromagnetic field. The work layer sensor may also generate a reference image by generating an electromagnetic field through undisturbed soil. The monitor may compare at least one characteristic of the reference image with at least one characteristic of the work layer image to generate a characterized image of the work layer of interest. The monitor may display operator feedback and may effect operational control of the agricultural implement based on the characterized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: CLIMATE LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Roger Koch, Dale Koch
  • Publication number: 20230093226
    Abstract: A soil apparatus is drawn through a furrow and reflectance from the furrow is obtained from the soil apparatus, and a height off target is measured between the soil apparatus and the furrow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Strnad
  • Publication number: 20230059032
    Abstract: A soil apparatus (e.g., a knife) to engage in soil is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a soil engaging portion to engage with soil and a plurality of sensors disposed in the soil apparatus. Each sensor is independently pivotable to independently position for sensing soil characteristics of soil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Hodel, Michael Strnad